Cap Anson vs Mule Suttles: Career Stats Comparison
Cap Anson has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Cap Anson played 1871–1897 as a hitter; Mule Suttles played ?–1944 as a hitter.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
Cap Anson (1871–1897) and Mule Suttles (?–1944) — their careers are worth a careful side-by-side. Cap Anson finished with 3,435 hits and 97 home runs; Mule Suttles finished with 1,168 hits and 188 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Mule Suttles, with 188 to Cap Anson's 97.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mule Suttles, with 1.025 to Cap Anson's .841.
- Who had the higher batting average? Mule Suttles, with .339 to Cap Anson's .334.
- Who had more hits? Cap Anson, with 3,435 to Mule Suttles's 1,168.
- Who drove in more runs? Cap Anson, with 2,075 to Mule Suttles's 930.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Cap Anson, with 52,242 career PIV to Mule Suttles's 23,097.
Mule Suttles
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Cap Anson and Mule Suttles. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 14 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other one is a counting total on which fewer is not an achievement, so no one is awarded it. Counting stats reward longevity, and strikeouts are left unmarked because a longer career accumulates more of them. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Cap Anson | Mule Suttles |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,524 | 972 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,281 | 3,448 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,999 | 763 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,435 | 1,168 |
| Doubles | Leads: 582 | 229 |
| Triples | Leads: 142 | 81 |
| Home Runs | 97 | Leads: 188 |
| RBI | Leads: 2,075 | 930 |
| Walks | Leads: 984 | 389 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 330 | 24 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 277 | 92 |
| Batting Avg | .334 | Leads: .339 |
| On-Base % | .394 | Leads: .409 |
| Slugging % | .447 | Leads: .616 |
| OPS | .841 | Leads: 1.025 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Cap Anson outpaces Mule Suttles 52,242 to 23,097 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,935 PIV per season to 924, across 27 seasons to 25. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
PIV is computed through the 2025 season. The career totals on this page include 2026 to date, so PIV does not yet reflect the 2026 season.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
Cap Anson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Mule Suttles — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Cap Anson leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Mule Suttles owns home runs, batting average, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Cap Anson. PIV agrees: Cap Anson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Cap Anson and Mule Suttles careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Cap Anson's ended in 1897, and Mule Suttles debuted in 1944. Cap Anson has the far longer record, 2,524 games against 972 across 27 and 25 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Cap Anson walked more often than struck out (984 walks, 330 strikeouts); Mule Suttles walked more often than struck out (389 walks, 24 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Mule Suttles's hits: 97 of 3,435 for Cap Anson, 188 of 1,168 for Mule Suttles. On the bases, Cap Anson stole more often per game played (277 steals in 2,524 games for Cap Anson, 92 in 972 for Mule Suttles).
Cap Anson vs Mule Suttles: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Cap Anson or Mule Suttles?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Cap Anson leads Mule Suttles in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Cap Anson or Mule Suttles hit more home runs?
- Mule Suttles, with 188 to Cap Anson's 97.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mule Suttles, with 1.025 to Cap Anson's .841.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Mule Suttles, with .339 to Cap Anson's .334.
- Who had more hits?
- Cap Anson, with 3,435 to Mule Suttles's 1,168.